


Eye Contact

by Louis_the_Snake



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louis_the_Snake/pseuds/Louis_the_Snake
Summary: Three times Spock takes special notice of Kirk's desire for eye contact. Rated Teen for mentions of alcohol. I don't usually write such straightforward and relatively clean fics, but hey, gotta shake it up sometimes.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Kudos: 34





	Eye Contact

Spock didn’t get feelings. They snuck up behind him and pounced when he was weak. And he was never as weak as when Kirk demanded eye contact.   
See, on Vulcan, eye contact was unnecessarily forward for two coworkers, or friends such they were, to engage in regularly. Spock usually faked eye contact with humans who seemed to desire it. He looked at foreheads and eyebrows and generally didn’t have to bother with the whole thing. Didn’t humans evolve from predators? How was eye contact anything short of an insult to them?   
But he couldn’t fool Kirk, no, Kirk felt it necessary to step right up against someone’s chest and look directly into their eyes, searching the depths of them as though he could see into one’s thoughts.   
Of course, humans were psi-null, and it was completely illogical to assume Kirk could see anyone’s thoughts or intentions in their eyes, but the theory was supported time and time again.   
Kirk could tell when a human was lying, or hiding something, following his instincts and checking their eyes for micro-expressions that gave them away. So it followed that Kirk sought eye-contact for reassurance of his friend’s intentions, assurance that they were being entirely honest and forthcoming. He trusted them, and he needed to be able to trust their words.   
The first time this reflex left an impression on Spock was when they were both off-duty. Scotty was celebrating having the same break as Kirk for the first time in a stretch, drinking some Irish whiskey with his captain. Spock was only in the rec room at the request of an engineering officer, who wanted to watch Spock play Chess versus the computer. Several officers watched the match, intrigued by plays they didn’t see coming.   
Kirk had come over to watch as well once Scotty had gone from jovial to sour. He leaned on Spock and squinted at the board and watched move after move.   
“You sure you don’t go easy on me, Spock?” Kirk smiled.   
Spock turned only slightly to face Kirk and found those eyes inches from his own, forcing eye contact with the flushed captain. Jim’s topaz eyes sought meaning deep in Spock’s, and all Spock could think of was how easy it must be to see past his mask.   
“No, captain, I don’t go easy on you.” Voice even. Face even. Heart rate even. But he knew his eyes shook just slightly, the muscle under his left eyebrow moving a millimeter.   
“Of course you don’t, Spock. Of course you don’t.” Kirk pat his back, laughing.   
This left an impression primarily due to the fact that they were both aware that the other was aware of their ruse. Not only did Kirk learn that Spock does indeed go easy on him, Spock learned that this fact hurt the captain’s feelings somewhat, as evidenced by the insincerity of Kirk’s words and laughter. The words were sarcastic, and the laughter was intended to be genuine, reflecting a knowledge of Spock’s lie and a contentment with the circumstance. However, the laughter was insincere just subtlety.   
The next time Kirk’s instinct was of note to Spock, they were on duty. It had been so casual. Kirk had moved his hand and asked for an opinion on something. Spock had turned and given it. He didn’t have to think very hard about his words, just giving Kirk the logical conclusion.   
“And your personal opinion?” Kirk asked. This meant he wanted Spock to speculate.   
“It does seem that this phenomena will have an effect on surface scanners.”   
“Badly enough it could mask the presence of our colonists, though, Spock?”  
There he was again, eyes firm on Spock’s, stepping into his personal space. This didn’t even seem like it should warrant such need for candor.   
“Captain, this could mask the presence of all lifeforms on a planet’s surface.”  
“I see.”   
If the captain were free to speak candidly, he would’ve cussed. Bones did it for him.   
“Damn it, Spock, what does that mean for our mission?”  
“It changes nothing, Doctor. We are to find a way through the atmospheric disturbance to contact the colonists.”   
“How in the-”   
“Thank you, Bones, leave the science to Spock, this has nothing to do with medicine we will call you when one of us gets grievously injured.”   
“Jim, you can’t seriously be thinking about attempting to fly through that!”   
After Bones was removed from the bridge, Kirk had indeed flown through that. The Galileo had held together admirably, and the colonists had been in surprisingly good shape considering the ion aurora that had broken all communications with any off-worlders. The colony would set up a more powerful transmitter to prevent any such interruptions in the future.   
The third time Kirk’s eye contact had left any impression on Spock they were alone. The captain had invited Spock back to his quarters for a game of chess and conversation, as was their typical ritual weekly or twice weekly.   
“You’d tell me if you were having trouble with any of the crew, wouldn’t you Spock?”   
“I suppose that would depend upon the nature of the trouble and the severity I foresaw it affecting our working relationship.”   
“Alright, that was too vague. You’d tell me if you were having any trouble with me, wouldn’t you?” Kirk looked through the chess board at his-and yes, Spock acknowledged that Kirk was possessive of him- half-vulcan.   
“If I had any issues with you, Captain, you would be the first to know.”   
Kirk’s eyes lingered on Spock’s for longer than Spock predicted. Kirk was looking for something other than plain dishonesty here, or even avoidance. Whatever Kirk was looking for, Spock resolved not to show it. He stared right back into Kirk’s eyes, looking for signs of what Kirk wanted to hear or know.   
“ ‘Jim’, tell me what’s bothering you, Spock.”   
“Nothing is bothering me, Captain.”   
“I said Jim. We are definitely off-duty and certainly alone, so you have full permission to call me whatever you want to. I’d prefer it if you called me Jim in this situation.” Kirk grumbled, “And something’s been bothering you for a while now.”   
“Whatever I want to?”   
“That’s what I said.”   
“Captain.” Spock broke eye contact to move his bishop.   
“Ugh, Spock,- “ Kirk huffed.   
“Captain, Vulcans do not typically seek eye contact as often as humans do. Especially not with coworkers, and even more so not with subordinates.”   
“Oh, does it offend you or something?”   
“Not precisely.”   
“Then why have you been so on edge?” Kirk’s reproach was palpable.   
“You seek eye contact with a frequency that would portray a sense of fealty to me.”   
“What, like, I’m your…”  
“Like you were a member of my household, perhaps.”   
“I’m not following. Is this a bad thing?” Kirk moved his rook to take out the bishop, which lost him the game. Kirk wouldn’t realize his mistake for two or three more turns.   
“No, captain. I have to become more comfortable with eye contact if I intend to spend more of my time with humans.” Spock took Kirk’s knight.  
“And do you?” Kirk hummed.   
“Captain?”   
“When this voyage is over, do you intend to continue to live among humans?”   
“I’m afraid I don’t see why that is pertinent h-”  
“Just answer me, Spock.” Kirk pulled Spock’s eyes back to his own somehow.  
“I intend to continue my tenure at Starfleet, Captain.”   
“Hmm. Good to hear.” Like this, Spock could see exactly when Kirk went from on edge to completely relaxed. Kirk had been worried.   
“Were you concerned I had grown tired of my mother’s people?” Spock had to know.  
“Very much so.” Kirk closed his eyes.   
“Nothing you could do would make me see humans as a lost cause, Captain. You are the chief reason I still find them so intriguing.”   
Kirk moved his rook once again, but Spock took it.   
“Check, Captain.”   
“Hmm. Clever play, Spock.” Kirk moved his king.  
“Check mate.” Spock trapped Kirk’s king.  
“Should I ask you to go easier on me, Spock?”   
“You wouldn’t continue to invite me to play if it weren’t challenging enough for you, and I do so enjoy our talks.” Spock began to clean up the board.  
“You’re right as always, Mr.Spock.”   
“I look forward to our next match, Jim.”   
“The self-same.”


End file.
